Bicycle MechanicsBroken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

anyway, my apartment is small and i have to leave my bike outside year 'round (chained to a post in front of my door). this is the 1st year i've had a bike here in japan, and i notice that last season's new chain is already rusted. admittedly, i didn't do much to it in nov/dec/january, but i was surprised at how quickly it rusted since it was new and well-oiled from the previous season, and everything was pretty clean. off course, the rear sprocket has some rust spots, so maybe the chain caught it from there

so... anyone have any tips on preventing this? was it neglect? should i oil/lube more regularly even when i'm not riding due to weather? what about storing under a cover (like a tarp)? does this help or hurt? sorry if this sounds a bit naive - i've always stored bikes indoors during the off-season previously. oh - we had a lot of snow this winter, but the bike is protected by an overhang from anything but windblown stuff.

There is a product out there by Kool Stop named Bike Pajamas. For about $25-30 (US not Yen) you can get yourself a little tent for your bike. Either that or you can go to a local hardware store and grab yourself a cheap tarp and throw over the bike.

YOu might want to go with a SRAM PC69, i believe they have the nickel plated and they're really not that expensive (around 20 USD). Other than that, keep the chain oiled with a nice lube to resist the water and rust. And stick a tarp over

You could coat the chain with bearing grease at the begining of the storage period. You'll need to remove the chain and seriously clean it before the next season's first ride.

On second thought, if you've got a chain with a removable link, like a Sram Powerlink, you could just remove the chain and store it indoors wrapped in a rag. Hint: shift into your large chainring/small rear cog to remove and reinstall said chain. That makes removal and reinstallion easier.

Thx to all of you for the advice. i did kind of neglect things for a few months, but I was surprised at how much effect this had. i'm off to the big city this weekend and will visit some bike shops to get some tires. while i'm there, i'll ask - it really helps to know what you're asking for when you don't speak the language so well, so thanks again for the specific tips.